Making up is hard to do

Hello blogger friends,

First of all, thank you Jaz for your recent blog. Yes, technology today can be intimidating but it's like trying to work up courage for one's first swim with sharks... well, got to admit haven't tried that one yet but if there's a krypton type diver's cage, then I might give it a go.

I've made a pun here with this headline "Making up is hard to do". Most of the over 50s out there will remember the song "Breaking up is hard to do" (was it Neil Sedaka?).

Now that we're that bit older, I wonder if many women out there are tired of asking well meaning (mostly) 19 year old female sales people what's best for their skin and how to apply light, flattering makeup but invariably leaving the counter unsatisfied.
I don't think this is a shallow subject and I acknowledge and respect those who don't wish to wear makeup at all.
But many of us still like some blusher, lipstick and a bit of action around the eyes. The important thing is to go light on everything and avoid bright eyeshadows.

I'm talking about this because in a few questionairres received after talks on health and wellbeing, many women want to know how to look good on a budget. This includes skin care and makeup. I'm wondering how you folk out there view this subject.
Would you please let me know? I'll tell you why if and when I receive some responses.

One thing that really bugs me is the age unfriendly compacts, etc that are around. First of all, you need your glasses on to undo these receptacles and second, it takes a while for stiff fingers to open the damn things - they're so small. Who hasn't lost their patience and almost thrown something at the wall? Let's not get into those cellophane packets - I've been known to stab them with a sharp knife. Talk about the perfect material for a moon landing - tough and almost impossible to break open.
I apologise if all this sounds trivial - but it's day to day stuff that can get you down. Manufacturers need to be aware of our ageing population and make friendlier packaging.

Segue-ing to Prime Minister Rudd's 2020 Summit - where is the representative for the ageing part of the Australian population, which is big chunk. I haven't seen a mention of Noeline Brown, our new Ambassador for Ageing, mentioned anywhere - but Cate Blanchett has been given generous coverage. Noeline, you'll just have to lose 35 years, get down to a size 6, become a famous movie star and have your second/third baby.

Good health and lots of laughs,

Camille.

Getting the hang of blogging

Hello everyone

At last I feel like a part of the blogging fraternity. I've made contact with The Older, Wiser Women website (thanks, Barbara) and the Elderwoman website (thank you, Marian).
It's wonderful to be in touch with like-minded souls across the globe. Quite mind-boggling (no pun intended) as I'm a pre Baby Boomer and the most we had in the way of communication when I was in my teens was speech, the phone and billet-doux (love letter for those who haven't dabbled in French).
If someone had told me I'd be conversing with people here and abroad on a machine like a typewriter but with pictures, I would've said "go take a cold shower" and stop watching sci-fi movies.
Anyway, dinner must be prepared - my significant other has been cooking lately so I'd better make the effort tonight. I'm cheating because I bought some marinated chicken drum sticks - all I have to do is throw them in a pan and boil some rice. Maybe make a salad for those antioxidants.
The university work (scriptwriting) is finished in preparation for tomorrow p.m. I'm a 65 year old Masters student who loves hanging out with youngies. Mind you, the hanging is limited - I don't get to go to their clubs, etc. Sadly, I've missed all that. Couldn't get to uni when younger and only took up further education in my later years. I did university entry exams at 30+ and during my fifties I got cracking again. Hope to finish my Masters next year. Anyone out there doing the same?
Raema and I are proud of our book - that was a major commitment - and now the goal is to finish my studies and get hooked up to the blogging world. I feel we can achieve a great deal by laughing together and sharing information and stories about our later lives.
Also, research shows conclusively that isolation is not good for one's health. Blogging is a very effective way of staying in touch with the zeitgeist generally and making contact with the older woman's tribes. www friendship is a great thing. I'm using the word "tribes" now, having seen Marion employ it on Elderwoman's blog. I think it's very apt - and we don't have to belong to just one tribe - we can belong to a few or several.
I trust all dear readers here will be patient with my blogging efforts. I'm new at this but learning all the time.
If you have a moment, please leave a blog. I get such a kick out of hearing from you.
Maybe tomorrow Lucy will post a comment. She has this uncanny knack of jumping out of the book with a mouth full of words - still Raema (co-author of Loris and Lucy's Later Life Guide and sister) and I humour her.

Stay well and happy,
Camille.

Wonderful Warrnambool

Hello Everyone,

Loris and Lucy visited Warrnambool this week and terrorised good local folk with their antics.
Fortunately, the authors of Loris and Lucy's Later Life Guide, myself and Raema, were there to explain the book and its aims.
It was lovely to meet the fine local people - about 85 attended the talk at the City Memorial Bowls Club. Members of the City Memorial Bowls Club were there in force - a delightful gathering of ladies. There were carers in the audience and also many folk around our age. Some men, too, which was terrific.

The Warrnambool Standard dropped by and Loris and Lucy took advantage of the photo opportunity. Local ABC man Jeremy Lee also interviewed myself as co-author. Thank you Jeremy. I enjoyed the interview.

Raema and I had much fun mixing with Warrnamboolians, but we apologise if these city girls were pretty full on. Many country people have that wonderful quality - shyness - but soon they were partaking in the general banter during a Shoot the Breeze segment.

Raema and I are very passionate about promoting health messages and this helps overcome the challenge of addressing a new audience as each is different. The challenge was quite terrifying this time as we found no-one in the audience had read the book!

The important thing is that we're sincere about getting these important messages out to women and if we're able to convince even a few later life women to take a closer look at preserving their health, then it's all worthwhile. So many of us think that once we're a certain age there's not much we can do or care to do - which is a shame. Many women work extremely hard caring for family and others in the community, even in their very late years. They deserve good health and the only way they'll keep it and maintain it is to practice health care strategies.

It was also lovely to meet young professional women who appreciated the book and the fact that there are lots of pointers in the book for preventative measures concerning health. It's a wise move to establish health care strategies when young - why not avoid osteoporosis and other negative health issues altogether?

Thank you to Warrnambool City Council and our host Mary McLeod for the opportunity to speak with Warrnambool women.
We had a truly delightful time. Thank you all for your participation.

Best of health,

Camille.